Improvement in thimbles



S. 3. LAND.

THIMBLE.

N0.175,4=69. Patented March 28,1876.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

SAMUEL J. LADD, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN THIMBLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [75,469, dated March 28, 1876; application filed February 23, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL J. LADD, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thimbles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to muke and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to the construction of sewing-thimbles, more particularly to thimbles made of gold or other precious and comparatively soft metal.

The invention consists in making the thimble from thick bars of gold and a harder or stiffening metal or alloy, the two metals, or metal and alloy, being soldered or brazed together so as to form a solid metallic bar, which is then rolled or drawn to the required thickness, the hard or stiffening metal being in the center or inner side, so that-by the process of spinning or drawing and pressing in part, or by all combined, a complete thimble is produced from the metal without further soldering, seam, or joint, and which possesses the quality of hardness, and consequent durability, without affecting its external appearance or interfering with its finish, the completed thimble, to all outward appearances, being the same as one made entirely from the pure metal. g

The invention further consists in making the combined hard and soft metal bar or plate of variable or graduated thickness, so that. when the thimble is made from it, the tip or end and sides, which are subjected to wear by coming in contact with the needle, will be considerably thicker and stronger than the parts which are not subject to such wear, and the hard metal or alloy may be so united to the pure or soft metal as to constitute this thickened or graduated portion of the thimble, while the pure metal is of uniform thickness, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1, 2, and 3 are side views of thimbles ofmy improved make, of difierent styles or patterns,

showing that my improvement in no Way interf'eres with the external appearance or finish of the thimble. Figs. 4., 5,and 6 are sectional views of my improved thimble, Fig. 4 showing one made from the combined hard and soft metal plate of uniform thickness. Fig. 6 is a section of a blank, and Fig. 5 a

section of a finished thimble, made from metal of graduated and uneven thickness.

To those skilled in the art it will be obvious that thimbles made in the manner described will be more durable than those made altogether of pure gold, while at the same time they may be produced in any desirable style or pattern, and be finished or made ornate in the same way and style as thimbles made entirely of pure gold.

It will also be. seen that by making the stock of different thickness, or graduated as described, thimbles can be readily produced, having their tips, and sides near the tip, thickened and stiffened, while the sides gradu ally become thinner, so that the part usually made ornamental is thin, and easily worked or molded into any desired form, while the part subject to wear remains stout and strong.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A thimble made in one piece from a bar or plate of gold, and hard metal or alloy, in manner substantially as described.

2. A thimble having the tip, and sides near the tip or parts subject to wear, thickened and stiffened, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. A thimble made in one piece from a bar or plate of gold, and hard metal or alloy, of unequal thickness, in manner substantially as set forth.

4. A thimble made in one piece from a bar or plate of gold, and hard metal or alloy, the gold being of uniform thickness, and the alloy or hard metal of unequal thickness, in the manner substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL J. LADD.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. BONGAR'IZ, L. R. MAGOON. 

